Apparatus for extracting zinc.



E. H. SHORTMAN.

APPARATUS PoR BXTRAGTING ZINC.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.17,1908.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

WITNESSES E'. H. SHORTMAN. APPARATUS POR EXTRAGTING ZINC.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, 190s.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

EDWARDHENRY SHORTMAN,l OF BLOXWICH, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE 'NEW DELAVILLE SPELTER COMPANY LIMITED, OF SPRING HILL, BIRMINGHAM, ENG- y LAND.

No.9o7,4'1c.

application Desembr .13, 1907,

T0 all whom 'it myconcem:

Be it that 'I, EDWARD HENRY SEQRTMAN, Ya subject of the of Great Britain, residing at Bloxwich', in thecounty of Stafford, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in A- a-ratus tor EXtractingZinc, of which the allowing 1s a speciication. l This invention has reference to an apparatllS adapted for use in extracting zinc, wherein provision must be made for the interception rand lcondensation of yany vaporized lead that may have been carried over With the zinc vapors from the furnace retorts, such interception of the lead being leffected prior to the'condensation of thepuriiied zinc in the receivers or condensers.

In one formof a paratus heretofore used for eliminating the lead prior to the condensationlof the zinc, a lead-intercepting and filtering 'medium consisting of pieces of refractory material, (such as broken fire-brick), has been arranged between the vaporizing area and the condensing area, such medium being usually arranged 1n the inner or retort end of the receiver in such a manner that the whole of the vapors from the retort have to pass through and be subjected to the action of the-medium which retards the flow of the vaporized metals sufliciently to cause the lead to be condensed and separated from the zinc vapors, and to 'be ,arrested inor intercepted y the said medium before the zinc va ors can pass 1nto the condensing area.

' useless, it is impossible for the same to be ecaus'e of the fact that, according to the above described ractice, the refractory medium is charged) directly into the retort end of the recelver itself, many disadvantages arise, due princi ally to the rapidity with which the said me 'um becomes clogged byy particles of coke-dust, dirt', and other 1mpu'ritie's carried .over from the retort, the clogged medium being then apt yto obstruct the passage of zinc vapors to the zinc-condensmg area to-such a degree that, not only is .the yield of purified zinc from a given char e of zinc-material ap reciablyvdlminishe but lfrequently such dnngerous vaporpressures are setup in the vaporizing area as to result in the bursting of the retort and the total loss ofthe charge. Furthermore, when the medium .becomes clogged and rendered Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 406,391. Divided and. this application led September 17, 19.0.8.. Serial No. 463,482.

APPARATUS FOB EXTRATING ZINC.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908;

Without necessitating the detachment of the receiver or condenser from the retort or interfering in any Way with the continuity of the lzinc-extraction process. To realize this object, it proposed to inclose and use the lead-interce ting medium in a receptacle or appliance Willich is separate from,'or independent of, the receiver and the retort, and

is adapted to be arranged in an intermediate position between the vaporizing area and the zinc-condensinv area in such a manner that, while the who e of the vaporized metals from the retort are compelled to pass into or through the receptacle. before reaching the receiver, and are thus effectively subjected to the action of the lead-intercepting medium contained therein, the saidmedium is never theless protected or screened to a considere able degree from the coke-dust and other solid impurities in suspension in the retort vapors, and thus clogging or deterioration thereof is minimized, the period of its effective utilization is extended, and the passage of the vaporized metals is not retarded until after a considerable quantity of high-purity zinc has been distilled over and collected in the receiver. Further, the receptacle is so arranged that, at any desired stage in the process, it can be displaced or removed from its effective position into the retort, so as to leave a free or uil-restricted passage for the vaporized metals between the vaporizing and condensing areas and admit of the extraction process proceeding uninterruptedly, although the said metal va ors that pass after the displacement of t e -intercepting medium are no longer subjected to any special lead-interce ting inluences.

The result o using the above-described method and appliance is that after one 1 more tappings of high-purity spelter has been collected in the receiver by the aid of the intercepting medium in the separate receptacle, the extracting process can be continued until the charge in the retort is exhausted to obtain one or more further tappings, which yield ordinary-grade or commercial spelter. n In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudina sectional view of a portion of a zinc extracting apparatus showing a charge of intercepting medium contained within a displaceable sleeve-like receptacle carried by the inner end of the receiver and arranged so that it constitutes the only communication between the said receiver and the retort. Fig. 2 represents a cross-section of Fig. 1, taken through the retort upon the dotted line 2 2 ,.and looking towards the receiver and the se arate intermediate receptacle, which is s own in end elevation; Fig. 3 represents a cross section taken through the receiver and receptacle upon the dotted line 3 3, Filgl. 1; Fig. LLrepresents a cross-section upon t e dotted line 'Lk-4, Fig. 1, taken through the receiver; Fig. 5 is a separate longitudinal section of the receiver; Fig. 6 is an end view thereof; Fig. 7 shows a longitudinal section and two end views of the displaceable receptacle separately, and

Fig. 8 represents al longitudinal section of a modified form of receptacle wherein the outlet leading into the receiver is arranged centrally of its inner wall.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown one embodiment of the invention wherein a designates the retort and b the rece1ve r for the purified zinc, the latter being provided with a partially-closed inner end b1, which extends into the interior of the retort when the receiver is luted in position, and is provided. with an opening b2 for the reception of the sleeve-like medium-container or receptacle c, wherein a filling or charge d of anthracite coalhbroken fire-brick or other suitable interceptmg medium, is secured by a stopping of clay e placed in its inner end in such a manner that an aperture or opening lis left at e1, above the stopping to provide for the passage therethrough of the whole of the zinc vapors that are distilled over from the retort, and when it is desired to cause the intercepted and condensed lead to run vback into the retort, a suitable drainage hole may be made at a? through the bottom of the clay stopping e.

In ord er to provide an effectual trap for the lead which is intercepted by the charge of medium and to prevent any of the medium from falling into the condensed metal in the receiver while still leaving a free outlet for the 66 purified zinc vapors, the forward end of the sleeve is provided with a baffle or partition c1 extending for a suitable height from its bottom edge, but leavin a top opening -02 through which the 'pur'I edvapors may issue into the receiver.

In carrying out a continuous process of obtaining one or more tappings of high-purity zinc followed by one or more ta pings of ordinary grade or commercial spe ter, the interception sleeve, after having been first filled withthe anthracite or other medium, is luted in position in the opening b2 in the retort end ofthe receiver, as shown in Fig. 1, and it is so arranged that when the charge has become so contaminated with intercepted lead and other matter as to be rendered useless, the said sleeve can be pushed back into the retort by the introduction of a suitable appliance through the open outer end of the receiver, thereby leaving the opening b2 in the inner end of the said receiver clear or unobstructed and permitting the subsequent assage of the vaporized metals directly om the retort to the condensing area, it being understood that the high-purity zinc is usually 90 tapped off from the receiver prior to the displacement of the sleeve and medium and that thereafter the operations are continued without the use of any lead-intercepting medium to obtain the commercial grade spe ter. f

Fig. 8 shows a longitudinal section of a modified form of receptacle in which the outlet c2 leading therefrom into the receiver is arranged in the middle of the inner end, instead of at the to thereof as in the pre- 100 viously-described crm. Such a construction is found to facilitate the interception and sheddin of the lead from the zinc vapors, as the solirIwalls above and below the said outlet constitute baffles against which the vapors impinge and are thereby made to circulate more thorou hly through the medium whereby a higher degree of purity is obtained in the zinc vapors which escape through the outlet into the receiver.

The im roved method involved in the operation o a zinc-extracting a paratus embodying my invention is not c aimed in the present application, such method forming the subject matter of a separate application filed 115 December 13, 1907, Serial Number 406, 391, of which the present application is a division.

I claim as my invention 1. An apparatus adapted for use 1n the extraction .of zinc, involving a separate 120 receptacle or carrier containing a lead-inter; cepting medium and adapted to be dlsplaceab y mounted between and having openings to communicate respectively with the vaporizing area and the condensing area. l

2.' An apparatus adapted for use in the extraction of zinc, involving a receptacle to contain a lead-intercepting medium and displaceably mounted in the ap aratus between the vaporizing area and the condens- 3. Anapparatus adapted for use in the Vextraction of'zinc, comprising a retort, a

receiver, and a receptacle or carrier to conto be mounted in the retort end of the receiver, said'receptacle having o enings com` municating, respectively, with t e retort and receiver. k

4. A11 apparatus adapted for use in' thel extraction of zinc, comprising a retort, a

receiver, and a rece tac e or carrier for a lead-intercepting me ium formedse arately from and displaceably mounted in -t e retort end of the receiver', said receptacle having;v openings for communicating -respectively with theretortand receiver and i' adapted to beA displaced into the Iseid retort.

area the said receptacle having openings ch communicate with the said areas;

5.l apparatus adapted .for "use in the extraction of zinc, comprising a retort, a receiver, and `a receptac e receiver, and provided at. its end which of the purified metallic vapors, the opposlte end of thelreceptacle that extends into the retort hav'u of the meta 'c-va ors from said retort.

-In testimony w ereof I have hereunto set my :hand Vin -presence of two subscribing` vw1tne'ss'es.'

K Y EDWARD HENRYSHORTMAN.

Witnesses: I-

, HENRY NORTON'SKEBRETT,

-` IHARRY OsAMoNp1?12411'1,y ,g

e or carrier fior a lead-intercepting medium, adapted toA be dis laceably mounted Within the retort end tain s, lead-interceptmg medium and adapted of gli yextends into the receiver with a solid wall or baffle surmounted by an opening for the escape an opening' for the admission 

